Horniolus wiolettae, Poorani, 2022

Poorani, J., 2022, A review of Horniolus Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from the Indian region, including descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5104 (4), pp. 545-556 : 550-553

Horniolus wiolettae sp. n.

( Fig. 4 )

Diagnosis. Horniolus wiolettae sp. n. resembles H. nigripes Miyatake and the male genitalia are also superficially similar. However, the head and pronotum in H. nigripes are black and the male genitalia also differ as follows: the penis guide is as long as parameres and distinctly narrower in the apical one-third and the penis is more strongly curved in Horniolus wiolettae sp. n. while in H. nigripes , the penis guide is shorter than parameres, elongate lanceolate and not narrowed in the apical one-third, and distinctly narrower in lateral view. It also resembles H. sororius and H. hisamatsui in having four-spotted elytra but the latter two species differ from it in having distinctly more transverse, narrower and smaller elytral maculae and different male genitalia. Horniolus dispar differs from the newly described species in having a much darker brown head and pronotum and anterior pair of elytral maculae differently shaped and more deeply constricted in the middle.

Description. Male: Length: 1.42–1.68 mm; width: 1.01–1.19 mm. TL/TW: 1.41; PL/PW: 0.49–0.53; EL/EW: 1.00–1.03. Form ( Fig. 4a ) elongate oval, dorsum moderately convex, densely pubescent, head and pronotum with yellowish hairs, lateral sides of pronotum with a mixure of dark brown and paler hairs, elytra with bright yellowish hairs on yellow maculae, rest of elytra with dark brown pubescence. Head and pronotum dark reddish brown; scutellar shield black; elytra black, each elytron with a pair of yellowish maculae, anterior one large, broad with a wavy margin, just below basal margin, not reaching suture, almost touching lateral margin, posterior spot smaller, elongate, oblique oval. Head about 3.5x as wide as an eye, interocular distance about 1.6x as wide as an eye; Pronotum densely punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 diameters. Elytra densely punctate, punctures shallowly impressed, separated by 1–3 diameters, interspaces smooth. Abdominal postcoxal lines ( Fig.4b ) complete, broadly and deeply semicircular. Male genitalia ( Figs. 4c–f ) with penis guide in ventral view ( Fig. 4c ) basally broadest, its sides gradually narrowed towards middle, abruptly narrowed posteriorly into a triangular apex; penis guide in lateral view ( Fig. 4d ) basally curved, apically strongly narrowed to an acute tip; parameres ( Fig. 4c, d ) with inner and apical margins densely setose, subequal in length to penis guide; penis ( Fig. 4e ) with a distinct capsule, strongly curved, apex as illustrated on Fig. 4f .

Female: Not studied.

Material examined. Holotype male; “ INDIA, TN, Kanyakumari , Pechiparai, 18.vi.15, N08.26 o E077.18 o SM Team” ( NBAIR) ; Paratype: One male, with the same data as holotype ( NBAIR) .

Distribution. India: Tamil Nadu.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Dr. Wioletta Tomaszewska, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, for her significant contributions to Coccinellidae systematics.

Note. A single specimen identified as Horniolus nr. nigripes (BMNH, Fig. 1f ) corresponds to this species. The specimen bears two identification labels, one as “ Horniolus ? dispar Weise , det. R. B. Madge 1985” and the other as “ Horniolus nigripes Miyatake , det. R.G. Booth 1985” [“ INDIA: Chrys S. Kerala / on Lagerstroemia sp., CIE A16725 / Nymph on leaf, Lagerstroemia sp., Vazhani, 16.8.84, K.M. Das C.M., P.P., KFRI / genitalia in glass vial / Horniolus ? dispar Weise , det. R. B. Madge 1985 / Horniolus ? nigripes Miyatake , det. R. G. Booth 1985” (BMNH)].

Figures

FIGURE 1. Horniolus spp.: a–d. Horniolus dispar Weise: a, b. dorsal habitus; c, d. male genitalia: c. tegmen, ventral view; d. penis; e. Horniolus guimeti (Mulsant); f. Horniolus nigripes Miyatake (Non-type material from BMNH; Image credits for c, d. Keita Matsumoto, BMNH).

FIGURE 4. Horniolus wiolettae sp. n.: a. holotype male, dorsal view; b. abdomen; c–f. male genitalia: c. tegmen, ventral view; d. tegmen, lateral view; e. penis; f. penis apex.